Multiple connector

ABSTRACT

The connector has a body containing a plug receiving recess at one end with male terminals therein and a plug containing mating female terminals at the other end. The terminals are joined to conductors which extend laterally from the body. The connector is so constructed that the recessed end will receive the plug end of a second conductor or a plug which is similar to the connector but which has the recessed end omitted. The connector and plug provides flexibility in locating outlets at spaced points with the conductors connected in series.

United States atet De Lano et a1.

[54] MULTIPLE CONNECTOR [72] Inventors: Don L. De Lano, Mount Clemens;Francis C. Schmidt, Berkley, both of Mich.

[731 Assignee: Microdot Inc.

[22] Filed: June 22, 1970 211 Appl. No.: 48,020

[52] U.S. Cl. ..339/60 M, 339/156, 339/218 M [51] ..II01r 13/52 [58]Field of Search ..339/32, 33,36, 59-61,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,268,847 8/1966 Klumpp,.lr..339/14 3,107,132 10/1963 Smith ..339/60 1 Feb. 29, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 524,140 7/1940 GreatBritain .;...339/60R 1,111,3474/1968 GreatBritain "339/6111 Primary ExaminerJoseph H. McGlynnAttorneyHarness, Dickey & Pierce 5 7] ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 8 DrawingFigures MULTIPLE CONNECTOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventionpertains to a plug and socket connector and a plug connector usable incombination to provide seriesed outlets at variously spaced points. Theconnector has a molded plastic body with terminal conducting plates andjoined conductors molded therein. In one form the molded body has arecess in one end for receiving a plug which is the same as the plug endprovided on the connector opposite to the end having the recess. Therecessed end has a pair of spaced bladelike terminals and a cylindricalground terminal or polarizing pin of the male type which extend throughthe body and are formed to provide female terminals within the plug atthe opposite end. In the connector herein illustrated the male andfemale terminals are formed in aligned relation from a strip ofconducting metal having a lateral projecting arm at the center which isformed into a cylindrical collar and clamped over the wires of theconductors which may be two or more and which are herein illustrated asbeing three in number. In another form, the molded body is the same asthat of the first connector with the plug-receiving end omitted. Anannular securing and sealing flange is provided on the plug end and onthe plug portion of the connector bodies which seals them in the recessend of the first connector or to a lamp socket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multipleconnector embodying features of the present invention, with a part insection;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 1, taken on the line 33 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a right-hand end view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a structure similar to that illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6, takenon the line 77 thereof, and

FIG. 8 is a broken view of an assembly made up from the structuresillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The connector 11, illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 5, has a molded body 12 containing a recess 13 at one end forreceiving a plug end 14 containing an exterior annular sealing rib 15.The body has a lateral section 16 from which a plurality of conductorsextend, three conductors 17, 18 and 19 for the connector hereinillustrated are employed. The conductors I7 and 18 are connected to likeconducting plates 21 provided with male and female terminal ends 22 and23. Between the terminal ends 22 and 23, a section 24 of the plates 21extends laterally with the end rolled into a collar 25 which is securedabout the wires 26 of the conductor 17 and 18. A collar 27 is securedabout the end section of an insulating sheath 28 of the conductors infirm fixed relation thereto. The female terminal end 23 of theconducting plates 21 has laterally extending flanges 29 which arereversely bent to form a rectangular aperture 31 of a size and form toreceive male or bladelike terminals 22 on the opposite end of the plates21 which have a tapered end 32. Similar female terminals 23 on a plugend of a second connector or on a separate plug may be readily insertedwithin the recess 13 over the male terminal 22 therein and be energizedfrom the conductors 17 and 18 of the first connector. The plates 21 havean offset portion 34 which when the connector body is molded thereaboutprevents any longitudinal movement relative thereto.

A third conducting plate 35 is formed into a cylinder having on one enda male terminal 36 and on the other end a female terminal 37 of suchdiameters as to permit a male terminal 36 of another socket to beinserted into the terminal 37 of the first socket. At the center of theconducting plate 35, a

laterally extending section 41 similar to the laterally extendingportions 24 has its end formed into a collar 25 which is secured to thewires 26 of the central conductor 19 which also has a collar 27 on theend of the insulating sheath thereof.

After the conductor plates 25 and have been so formed and connected tothe wires 26 of the conductors l7, l8 and 19, they are inserted in amold with the male terminal ends 22 and 36 inserted in apertures in aplug which will form the recess 13 in the end of the body after themolding operation. Inserts are placed within the apertures 31 of thefemale terminals 23 and also within the female terminal 37 to preventthe molding material to pass thereinto and to form cavities 38 and 39 inthe body beyond the ends of the female terminals. The material of thebody is then injection molded about the conductors and terminal plates.After the molding operation and the removal of the plug and inserts, theconnector will be completed in the form as clearly illustrated in FIGS.1 to 5 with the recess 13 containing the male terminals 22 and 36 andwith the plug end 14 having the female terminals 23 and 37 therewithin.

In the arrangement here illustrated it will be noted that the plates 21and 35 have the sections 24 and 40 of different lengths so that theterminals are in nonaligned relation to have the terminals of the plugends accurately located so that any one of the conductors in the serieswill be aligned throughout the length thereof. In place of the groundterminal a locating pin may be substituted in the recess and a receivingaperture provided in the plug. In this arrangement, no ground isprovided and the plate 35 and conductors 19 are dispensed with.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a connector 42 is illustrated which issimilar to the connector 11 but with the end containing the recess 13omitted therefrom. The connector embodies a molded body having a baseportion 43 and a plug portion 44. A base portion extension 45 enclosesthe conductors 17, 18 and 19 which are joined to plates 46 which aresimilar to the plates 21 and 35 with the exception that the maleterminals 22 and 36 are omitted therefrom. The plates extend upwardlyand are formed on the upper end into female terminals 23 and 37. Theplug portion 44 is exactly of the same construction as the plug portion14 of the connectors illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. The material fromwhich the bodies are molded is flexible and the annular rib 15 providesa seal which prevents dust and grime from entering the recess 13 andassists in retaining the plug end 14 or plug portion 44 therein or in atubular socket 48.

The two connectors are unique in combination to provide a seriesconnection through the conductors independent of the male and femaleterminals. The plug portion 44 or plug end 14 of the connectors may beinserted into the tubular socket 48 for a lamp bulb to provide light atvarious spaced points which are separated different distances apart, asillustrated in FIG. 8. In this arrangement, a plug portion 44 of aconnector 42 may be inserted in a live element 49 of a harness orreceptacle with the conductors 51 thereof connected to a similar plugconnector 42. The second connector 42 has its plug portion 44 extendingwithin the recess 13 of a connector 11 having its plug end 14 extendinginto a cylindrical lamp socket 48. The conductors 52 from the connector11 are joined to a plug connector 42 which has its plug portions 44extending into the recess 13 of a second connector 11 which has its plugend 14 extending into a second cylindrical socket 48. Conductors 53 fromthe second connector 11 are joined to a plug connector 42 which has itsplug portion 44 extending into the recess 13 in a third connector 11which has its plug end 14 sealed by a cap 54 as it is not used in asocket 48 in the assembly illustrated. Conductors 55 from the thirdconnector 11 are joined to a plug connector 42 which has its plugportion 44 extending within a cylindrical socket 18 which therebyterminates the assembly which is shown by way of example.

It is to be understood that when a plurality of light locations aredetermined, for an automobile for example, the lengths of conductors 51,52, 53 and 55 are determined and the connectors are joined together withthe proper length of conductors to permit the connectors to be supportedat the light location. The connectors can be furnished separately andthe conductors thereof can be joined by conductors to provide a desiredassembly when large productions are not involved.

The connectors are unique in producing assemblies which may be used ondifferent automotive devices by the omission or addition of connectorsto each other. While the conductors are in series relation to eachother, each conductor is maintained in series relation with therespective conductors of the plurality of connectors and the filamentsof the lamp bulbs are in parallel and not in series relation therewith.The assembly provides ease of replacement in case any one of theelements of the series becomes damaged.

We claim:

1. In a connector, a molded body of insulating material, a plurality ofspaced conducting plates within the body, a plurality of conductors eachhaving the end joined to one of said plates and extending from saidbody, said body having a plug receiving recess at one end into which theends of said plates extend providing spaced male conducting terminals,and a plug portion on the other end of the body. in which femaleterminals formed on the other end of the plates are embedded.

2. In a connector as recited in claim 1, wherein the diameter of saidrecess is substantially that of said plug portion.

3. In a connector as recited in claim 2, wherein a second connector isthe same as said first connector except that the end having the plugreceiving recess is omitted.

4. In a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein an assembly containingthe first and second connectors provide spaced outlet locations for saidplug portions.

5. In a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein a first and secondconnector form a unit when continuous lengths ofconductors are providedtherebetween.

6. In a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein a pair of said secondconductors form a unit when continuous lengths of conductors areprovided therebetween.

7. in a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein the terminals areprovided in offset relation in that each conductor is connected to asimilarly located conductor so that each condoctor will have the sameseriesed relation throughout the assembly of the connectors.

8. lo a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein the molding material isflexible in the plug portions which is provided with an annular ribwhich seals a recess when extending thereinto.

9. In a connector as recited in claim 8, wherein a cap forced over theplug portion of a connector is secured and sealed thereto by saidannular rib.

1. In a connector, a molded body of insulating material, a plurality ofspaced conducting plates within the body, a plurality of conductors eachhaving the end joined to one of said plates and extending from saidbody, said body having a plug receiving recess at one end into which theends of said plates extend providing spaced male conducting terminals,and a plug portion on the other end of the body in which femaleterminals formed on the other end of the plates are embedded.
 2. In aconnector as recited in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said recess issubstantially that of said plug portion.
 3. In a connector as recited inclaim 2, wherein a second connector is the same as said first connectorexcept that the end having the plug receiving recess is omitted.
 4. In aconnector as recited in claim 3, wherein an assembly containing thefirst and second connectors provide spaced outlet locations for saidplug portions.
 5. In a connector as recited in claim 3, wherein a firstand second connector form a unit when continuous lengths of conductorsare provided therebetween.
 6. In a connector as recited in claim 3,wherein a pair of said second conductors form a unit when continuouslengths of conductors are provided therebetween.
 7. In a connector asrecited in claim 3, wherein the terminals are provided in offsetrelation in that each conductor is connected to a similarly locatedconductor so that each conductor will have the same seriesed relationthroughout the assembly of the connectors.
 8. In a connector as recitedin claim 3, wherein the molding material is flexible in the plugportions which is provided with an annular rib which seals a recess whenextending thereinto.
 9. In a connector as recited in claim 8, wherein acap forced over the plug portion of a connector is secured and sealedthereTo by said annular rib.